their laminate countertops hosted black currant jam parties they drove 45 minutes to buy butter from Stony Creek Dairy and plunged into hot water baths to save them their house knew them in the dirt cellar he dug by hand

they drove 45 minutes to buy butter from Stony Creek Dairy they grew beefsteak tomatoes, and seed potatoes, their house knew them in the dirt cellar he dug by hand and the walls held sadness when she could not walk again

they grew beefsteak tomatoes, and seed potatoes, she cheered for the winners each week on Roller Derby and the walls held sadness when she could not walk again Grandpa hung clothes on the line, ignoring the dryer

she cheered for the winners each week on Roller Derby we sat in lawn chairs and laughed at call-in radio Grandpa hung clothes on the line, ignoring the dryer she met Haystack Calhoun at a gas station

we sat in lawn chairs and laughed at call-in radio Sunday dinner was roast beef tender as a woman’s heart she met Haystack Calhoun at a gas station I never heard her say renovate, to keep things current

Sunday dinner was roast beef tender as a woman’s heart we hunted dew worms, and fished in the Grand River I never heard her say renovate, to keep things current he built her a wheelchair ramp up to their front door

we hunted dew worms, and fished in the Grand River Grandpa said interesting things with his hands he built her a wheelchair ramp up to their front door he grew an Old Man cactus high as my shoulders

Grandpa said interesting things with his hands it takes a lot of years to watch cacti flourish he grew an Old Man cactus high as my shoulders their house is still there, though the farm is long sold

it takes a lot of years to watch cacti flourish we found trilliums and arrowheads in the cool summer woods their house is still there, though the farm is long sold the hungry world came, in time, to taste us

we found trilliums and arrowheads in the cool summer woods their laminate countertops hosted black currant jam parties the hungry world came, in time, to taste us and we plunged into baptismal tanks to save us.

About the Author

Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Kelowna, British Columbia, Lesley-Anne Evans approaches her life with intense curiosity. She is a celebrant of the land, spirit, and human experience, and a community minded champion of the arts. Lesley-Anne’s poetry is Canlit. published, passionately performed, and installed as Pop-Up Poetry from time-to-time. Lesley-Anne loves taking photographs of unusual things.